LINCOLN, Neb.—When it comes to their 34-point loss to Oklahoma, Nebraska’s players don’t quite plead amnesia. But they sure don’t want to talk about it.
Coach Bo Pelini barred his players from talking to the media immediately after Saturday night’s 62-28 defeat in Norman, Okla.
Players interviewed after Monday’s practice said Pelini had told them minutes after the game to forget about Oklahoma and turn their thoughts to this Saturday’s home game against Kansas.
It would be counterproductive to do otherwise, linebacker Blake Lawrence said.
“You have to look back at film and understand your mistakes and build on that, but when it comes down to it, when the clock hits zero, it’s the next opponent,” he said. “You have to start getting mentally ready for them because that’s how fast the game moves these days. There is a lot of preparation that goes into each team, especially in this league.”
The Huskers (5-4, 2-3) remain mathematically alive in the Big 12 North race, but their last three regular-season games will more likely determine their postseason destination.
After Kansas, they finish with a game at Kansas State and a home game against Colorado. Nebraska needs one win to become bowl eligible. Two or three wins would improve their place in the pecking order.
To make it to any bowl would be a good thing for Nebraska because it would allow the team to have an additional month of practice.
“We can sit down and feel sorry for ourselves, or we can go out and fight like we did when we came back from getting beat by Missouri,” I-back Roy Helu Jr. said. “We’re the type of team that’s going to come back and give Kansas a fight.”
Nose tackle Ndamukong Suh said coming off the ugly loss at Oklahoma might not be as difficult as rebounding from the 52-17 loss to Missouri in Lincoln.
“It was embarrassing, being at home,” Suh said. “You really just have to forget about it and let it roll off your shoulders. It’s a tough thing to do, but it’s really what you have to do.”
Pelini said the players turned in a good effort at practice.
“We flew around,” he said. “We weren’t out here a long time. Spirits were fine. They’re excited to play Kansas, I’ll tell you that.”
And they’re looking forward to dropping the subject of Oklahoma, cornerback Armando Murillo said.
“Bo doesn’t want us to talk about what happened,” he said. “We have to forget about it and keep our heads up. We stand strong as a team. We’re not worried about what happened. Some things you have to let go.”
When it was suggested to Murillo that perhaps the fans and media have more trouble letting go of a lopsided loss than the players and coaches do, Murillo nodded.
“Oh, wow,” he said. “I say yes to that.”
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